Coin-control lock for vending machines



July 29 1924. 1,503,071

L. R. SPOONER ET AL COIN CONTROL LOCK FOR VENDING MACHINES Filed March 21. 1923 gnue n Ho's *6 1; 766750 Spaonen PaJ I. Gcgy Patented July 29', 1924.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFlCE.

LEE ROY SPOONER AND PAUL L. GRAY, OF WATER'IOW'N, SOUTH DAKOTA.

COIN-CONTROL LOOK FOR VENDING MACHINES Application filed March 21, 1923. Serial No. 626,606.

To all who m may concern:

Be it known that we, Lnn ROY SrooNnn and PAUL L. GRAY, citizens of the United States, residing at TVatertown, in the county of Codington and State of SouthDakot-a, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Coin-Control Looks for Vending Machines, of which the following is a specification, reference being had to the accompanying drawings. I

This invention relates to coin control locks for vending machines.

An important object of the invention is to provide a device of this character by means of which the ejector plunger is posi tively locked against operation until the proper coin is inserted, whereby release of the lock by jarring or tipping the vending mechanlsm is prevented.

A further object of the invention is to provide a. device of this character which is simple in its construction and operation, durable in service and a general improvement in the art.

These and other objects we attain by the construction and arrangement shown in the accompanying drawings, wherein for the purpose of illustration is shown a pre ferred embodiment of our invention and wherein like reference characters designate like parts throughout.

In the drawings I Figure 1 is a sectional view through a vending apparatus showing a lock mechanism constructed in accordance with our invention;

Figure 2 is a view similar to that shown in Figure 1, the side plate being removed and illustrating in dotted lines the manner in which the lock plate limits the movement of the plunger.

Figure 3 is a fragmentary detailed view similar to that shown in Figure 2 and illustrating the manner in which the lock plate is released upon insertion of the proper coin;

Figure at is a detailed sectional view show ing the manner of constructing the tip-out opening and of operation during passage of a coin of the proper denomination; and

Figure 5 is a similar view somewhat enlarged showing the discharge of a coin of smaller size.

Referring now more particularly to the drawings, the numeral 10 indicates the front wall of the vending machine and more particularly the front wall proper or a false front wall positioned behind the main front of a machine. Secured to the rear face of the front wall '10 a pair of substantially vertical parallel Walls 11 and 12 are secured at their forward ends to the front wall 10. The walls 11 and 12 are substantially vertical or slightly inclined as more clearly shown in Figure i l the purpose of this inclination appearing hereinafter. The wall 11 which has its outer face obtuse to the horizontal will hereinafter be referred to as the obtuse wall, and the wall 12, which has its outer face acute to the horizontal, willl1 hereinafter be referredto as the acute wa Secured to the obtuse wall 11 is a plate 13, the lower edge of which is approximately horizontal and at its rear edge a vertical spacer and stop 14 is applied to'the plate 13 filling the space between the plate 13 and the adjacent face of the acute wall 12. Likewise secured to the plate 13 is a triangular plate 15, the lower edge of which coincides with the lower edge of the plate 13, the forward edge of which abuts the wall 10 and the upper edge of which inclines downwardly toward the lower end of the plate 14, the apex at the juncture of the upper and lower edges of the plate being spaced relative to the adjacent edge of the plate 1a to provide a passageway 16. Vhile the plate 15 is here described as triangular it may be notched out to V-form as indicated to reduce the weight thereof The plate 15 likewise fills the space between the plate 13 and the adjacent face of the acute wall 12 and the upper surface thereof forms a. runway for coins inserted in the machine, the wall 10 being provided with an opening 17 through which a coin may be inserted to roll down the inclined upper face of the plate.

Secured to the obtuse wall 11 in spaced relation to the lower edge thereof is a horizontally extending strip 18 of approximately the same thickness as the plate 13. To the forward end of this strip 18 is secured a spacer plate 19 having its upper surface flush with the upper surface of the strip 18 plate 10 through an opening 24 formed therein and is adapted as at 25 for engagement with the handle for operation. The plunger is of substantially the same thickness as the plate 13 and strip 18 and adjacent its rear end is provided witlran enlargement 26 forming an abutment slidably engaging the adjacent face of the acute wall 12, the enlargement 26 being provided at its forward end and at the upper edge thereof with a forward extension 27. Projecting outwardly from the face of the plunger forwardly of and in spaced relation to the enlargement 26 is a second abutment member 28.

The rear end of the plunger is provlded with an ejector or ejector operating member 29 and this plunger when in its rearmost position has a forward end of the e tension 27 of the enlargement 26 approxr mately aligned with the forward edge of the spacing strip 14. Slidably abuttlng the plunger between the abutments 26 and 28 1s a floating lock plate 30 substantially rectangular in form and provided upon the. upper end of the rear edge thereof with a rearward extension 31 and upon its lower edge at the rear end thereof the plate has a downwardly extending lug or tooth 32' adapted forengagement in one of a series of notches 33 formed in the upper edge of the forward end of the spacer plate 20. This floating lock plate is freely movable in the space between the adjacent faces of the plunger 23 and the acute wall 12 and between the lower edge of the plate 15 and the plates 19 or 20, as the case may be, depending upon the position of the lock plate in this space.

The acute wall 12 has formed therein a guideway 34 in the present instance shown as in the form of a'slot and the plate 30 is provided adjacent its forward end with an upstanding lug 35 engaging in this slot.

Adjacent its rear end the plate is provided with a second lug 36 likewis adapted to engage in the slot and when both of the lugs are'engaged in this'slot the plate is held in such position that engagement of the tooth 32 is so positioned that it clears the teeth 33 and permits movement of the locking plate. When this tooth is engaged with one of the teeth 33 it will be obvious that a forward movement of the plunger will result in the abutment 26 coming into engagement with the rear end of the extension 31 of the plate 30, movement of the plate 30 being prevented by the tooth engagement. The movement of the plunger 26 enlargement is limited, such limiting occurring before operation of the plunger mechanism. The slot 34 terminates at its rear end in an enlargement 34 into which the lug 36 of the plate 30 may enter, the enlargement, however, being of such length that its rear end wall 34 limits the rear movement of the lug 36 at a time when the lug 35 is still engaged in the slot. When the lug is positioned in the enlargement the tooth 32 enters into engagement with the teeth 33 to lock the plate against movement.

If a coin be positioned in the channel 22 between the rear end of the plate 30 and the forward end of the abutment '26 of the plunger the forward movement of the plunger will force the coin under the extension 31, lifting the same and withdrawing the tooth 32 over the notch and aligning the lug 36 with the slot 34 so that the plunger and plate maybe moved forwardly as a unit and the ejector mechanism tripped When the coin arrives above the slot 21 it will fall from between the plate 30 and abutment 26 through the slot 21 and into a suitable re ceptacle 37. In order to provide for retraction of the plunger '23 a lug39 is provided thereon projecting through a slot 40 formed in-the acute wall 12 and to which are connected diverging springs 41 having their opposite ends connected with stationary parts of the mechanism.

In order to prevent operation of the device by coins of improper denomination, the acute wall 12 is formed with an opening 42, the upper edge of the opening paralleling the upper face of a spacer plate 15 and being spaced therefrom a distance-slightly less than the diameter of the coin by which the machine is to be operated. The lower edge of the opening is slightly spaced above the upper face of the plate 15 and likewise parallels the same. Since the wall against which the coin will be thrown because of the inclination ofthe plates 11 and 12 is provided with this opening any smaller hoin passing down the incline will have itsupper edge free from engagement with the plate and will accordingly pass through the opening 42 and be discarded. f of the proper denomination it passes downwardly of the upper edge of the plate 15 and be tween the plate 13 and acute wall 12 be tween the lower rear end of the plate 15 and the spacer plate 14 and between the plunger and wall 12 coming to rest upon the guid 20 between the abutment 26 of the plunger and the plate 30. If the coin is inserted at the time the plunger is in operating position the same will rest upon the upper surface of the enlargement 26 until the plunger is completely withdrawn, when the plunger is engaged with the rearward this opening.

extension of the lock plate the space between the adjacent faces of the abutment 26 and the lock plate 30 is greater than the diameter of the coin by means of which the machine is operated. Accordingly this coin is not pinched between these plates and will simply roll ahead of the abutment 26 upon the surface of the spacer 20 until the opening 21 is reached when it will fall through In the operation of the device the coin is placed in the usual coin receiving slot, indicated at 1'4", and in passing through this slot rolls upon the upper surface of the plate 15, finally passing, if it be of the proper denomination, through the opening 16 to be disposed between the lock plate 30 and the front wall of the enlargement 26 of the plunger 23. If the coin be of a smaller size than that requiredthe coin will, fall from the tip out opening, as hereinbefore explained, and'will never arrive at the opening 16 to fall therethrough. With th coin introduced the plunger 23 will be shifted outwardly by engaging the finger in the notch formed at 25 for such engagement and as it moves outwardly the coin will roll upon the upper surface of the plate 20 and in coming into engagement with the finger 31 of the lock plate 13 will elevate the same and pass therebeneath. This elevation will occur at such a time that continued forward movement of the plunger will bring the front end of the abutment 27 into engagement with the rear end of the extension 31 so that the lock plate is forced longitudinally. This longitudinal movement is not possible for the reason that the lug 36 is aligned with its channel or guideway 22 of the plate 12 and accordingly continued forward movement may be had. During this forward movement the coin, which because of the spacing of the lock plate 30 and enlargement 26 of the plunger by the, engagement of the portions 27 and 31'thereof is not pinched between the lock plate and enlargement, will continue to roll upon the surface of the plate 20 until it comes to the opening 21 at which time it will fall through the opening into the coin drawer. It will, of course, be understood that the ejector or ejector operator 29, as the case may be, will be shifted by the plunger during its movement and such shifting movement will be utilized to eject the goods from the machine. Since this ejection apparatus does not form a portion of the present invention the same is not described or disclosed herein.

It will be obvious that the construction herein described is capable of considerable mechanical alteration and likewise capable of considerable change in a specific arrangement thereof without in any manner departing from the spirit of our invention. WVe accordingly do not limit ourselves to such specific structure except as hereinafter claimed.

lVhat is claimed is 1. In check control apparatus, a mounting having a channel, a plunger reciprocable within the channel and having an abutment on one side face thereof, a lock slidable between said side face of the plunger and the opposed wall of the channel and normally having engagement with a wall of the channel preventing this movement when engaged by the abutment of the plunger, said lock including a rearward extension engaged and shifted by a coin preceding the plunger and by its shifting releasing the engagement of the lock with said channel wall.

2. In check control apparatus, a mounting having a channel, a plunger reciprocable within the channel and having an abut ment on one side face thereof, a lock slidable between said side face of the plunger and the opposed wall of the channel and normally having engagement with a wall of the channel preventing this movement when engaged by the abutment of the plunger, said lock including a rearward extension engaged and shifted by a coin preceding the plunger and by its shifting releasing the engagement of the lock with said channel wall, said abutment being provided with a forward extension overlying the rearward extension of the look when the plunger is advanced into engagement with said rearward extension without the intervention of a coin of the proper denomination and preventing withdrawal of said look from its engagement with the wall of the channel.

3. In check control apparatus, a mounting having a channel, a plunger reciprocable within the channel and having an abutment on one side face thereof, a lock slidable between said side face of the plunger and the opposed wall of the channel and normally having engagement with a wall of the channel preventing this movement when engaged by the abutment of the plunger, said lock including a rearward extension engaged and shifted by a coin pre ceding the plunger and by its shifting releasing the engagement of the lock with said channel wall, said extension by its engage ment with said abutment when the abutment is preceded by a coin maintaining the lock spaced from the adjacent face of the abutment a distance greater than the diameter of the coin and the coin discharge opening formed in the wall of the channel in advance of said abutment.

4:. In check control apparatus, a mounting having a channel, a plunger reciprocable within the channel and having an abutment on one side face thereof, a lock slidable between said side face of the plunger and the opposed wall of the channel and normally having engagement with a wall of the channel preventing this movement when engaged by the abutment of the plunger, said lock including a rearward extension engaged and shifted by a coin preceding the plunger and by its shifting releasing the engagement of the lock wi h said channel wall, said abutment being provided with a forwarder.- tension overlying the rearward extension of the lock when the plunger is advanced into engagement with said rearward extension without the intervention of a coin of the proper denomination and preventing withdrawal of said loel: from its engagement with the wall of the channel, a coin of the proper denomination preceding said abutment engaging said extension and elevating the same into alignment with the forward extension of the abutment, said ex ensions of said'lock and abutment when engaged spacing the adjacent faces of the lock and abutmentaparta distance greater than the diameter of the coin.

'5. In check control apparatus a m0unt-- ing having a channel provided in the wall thereof with a notch, a plunger reciprocable within the channel and having an abutment normally positioned rearwardly of the notch,

a lock slid-able between the side face of the plunger and the opposed wall of the channel, and a ranged in the path of the abutment and havinga tooth normally engaged with the notch of the channel wall, said channel having a slot in the wallthereof, a lug on said slot pivotal and slidable in said slot, the slot having an enlarged rearend a second lug on the lock disposed in the enlarged rear end of the slotwhen the tooth f the wall is engaged with said notch, the

rear end of said lock being engaged and ele LEERoYsPooNEef PAUL L. GRAY. 

